Variable-discharge nozzle.



N0. 687,480. Patented Nov. 26, |90I. T. C. HARGRAVE &J. ROTHWELL.

VARIABLE DISCHARGE NOZZLE.

(Application filed Oct. 4, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shaet l.A

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NOQ 687,480. Patented Nov. 26, mol.

T. C. HARGRAVE & J. ROTHWELL.

VARIABLE DISCHARGE NOZZLE.

(Application led Oct. 4. 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-*Sheet 2.

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Tl-IOMASC. IIRGRAVE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, AND JOSEPH ROTHWELL, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

VARIABLE-DISCHARGE NOZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,480, dated Novemberv 26, 1901. Application filed October 4, 1900. Serial No. 31,947. (No modell' To all whom, t 'may concern:

Beit known that \ve,'THoMAs C. HARGRAVE, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin, and JOSEPH' ROTHWELL, residing at St. Paul, in thecounty of Ramsey, State of Minnesota, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Variable-Discharge Nozzles; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention has for its object to provide a variable-discharge nozzle of simple and efficient construction; and to this end it consists ofthe novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter" described, and defined in the claims.

This variable-discharge nozzle whileadapted for general usewherever such a'device is required was especially designed for use in locomotives. In the construction of locomotives it is the practice to make the'exhaustorifice in proportion to the size of the cylinders. This proportion, however, seldom proves to be that which will give the best results. When the engine is tried, it is usually found to exhaust too freely, and the remedy has hitherto consisted in placing bushingrings in the exhaust-opening, this in many cases having to be repeated many times before a satisfactory result is obtained. Furthermore, an exhaust-nozzle having a discharge-orifice of a constant size will not give the best results under all conditions of the service. Hence it will be understood that a variable-exhaust nozzle which may be readily manipulated at will and be set to give any desired exhaust-opening is much needed on a locomotive.

Our improved variable-exhaust nozzle is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the Vseveral views.

Figure l is a view in longitudinal vertical section, showing our improved exhaust-nozzle applied in workin g position at the end of the exhaust-pipe of a locomotive, some parts being broken away, others removed, and others shown in full. Fig. 2 is a Ahorizontal section approximately on the line m2 x2 of Fig. 1, some parts being shown ingfull. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views on the line m3 m4 of Fig. 2; and Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views with some parts sectioned and others broken away, showing the parts illustrated in Figs. 3 and et in positions corresponding respectively therewith.

'Ihe numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4 indicate, respectively, the boiler proper, the smoke-box, the smoke-stack, and the exhaust-pipe of an ordinary locomotive.

In applying our' variable-exhaust nozzle to theupper end of the exhaust-pipe 4 the ordinary exhaust-no'zzle'is'removed, and we secure to the iiange it at the upper end of said exhaust-pipe 4 a rectangular box 5, which has flanges 6 secured to the flange 4E', as shown, by short nutted bolts 7. Segments or segmental rollers S are mounted on shafts 9, secured therewith, for oscillating movements within the box 5, with their cylindrical surfaces always in close contact. These two segmental rollers 8snugly fill the box 5. Their ends work in close contact with the sides of the box, and their rounded hubswork in close engagement with segmental Hanges 10,formed on the upper portions of the forward and rear walls of the box 5. The anges 10 have sharp or abrupt edges, which serve to keep the hubs of the rockers scraped clean of smoke, dirt, and corrosion. The segmental rollers 8 are formed with tapering segmental dischargegrooves 11, cut circumferentially in the peripheries thereof. The discharge-grooves 11 of the two segments S register under all positions, and each is approximately semicircular in cross-section at all circumferential points, so that a round or circular exhaust-opening of variable diameter is aiforded by the simultaneous adjustments of the segments S.

The rock-shafts 9 extend through one side of the smoke-box 2 and are provided at their outer ends with intermeshing gears 12, shown as of segmental form. Pipes or tubes 13 extend from the box 5 to the side of the firebox 2 and incase the rock-shafts 9 to protect them from smoke and corrosion.V One of the rock-shafts 9 is provided at its extreme outer end with an arm 14C, to which one end of a long operating-rod 15 is pivoted. 'The rear end of the rod 15 wilL'extend to the cab of the engine and is provided with a handpiece 16 and with lock-notches 17, which notches cooperate with a latch-plate 18 or similar part suitably secured within the cab. By means of the operating-rod l5 the Variable-exhaust nozzle may be manipulated at will from the cab either by the engineer or the fireman, preferably by the latter. As is obvious, the lock-notches 17 and latch-plate 1S coperate .to lock the segments 8 in Whatever adjustment they may be set.

When the segments 8 are adjusted as indicated in Fig. 3, an exhaust-orifice of the diameter indicated in Fig. 5 is afforded. On the other and round exhaust is always maintained..

It is a well-known fact to all engineers of experience that a properly-adj usted exhaust is necessary in order to make a locomotive properly steam. An exhaust -nozzle is properly adj usted when the center of its blast is coincident with the axis of the sm oke-stack and when the said blast completely fills the said stack and produces equal pressure at all points of a given plane equidistant from the axis of the stack. Since a smoke-stack is round in cross-section, or at least is round at its lower end, it follows that the 4proper results can be obtained by an exhaust-nozzle located with its axis concentric with the axis of the stack and which is concentrically adjustable and always maintains a round exhaust-opening. A

It is of course evident that the device above described is capable of many modications Within the broad scope of our invention. It Wi 1l also be understood that this variable-discharge nozzle is adapted for general use wherever a variable-discharge opening is required.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. The combination With a smoke-stack, of a discharge-nozzle comprizing a box communicating with the exhaust-pipe, and a pair of pivoted segments fitting inside the Walls of said box and provided with cooperating circumferential grooves of increasing cross-section to afford a variable circular exhaustopening, said discharge-nozzle being concentric with the axis of the smoke-stack.

2. The combination With the rectangular box 5, of the pivoted segments 8, fitting said box, Vand provided with coperating circumferential grooves 11 of increasing diameter that register in all positions of said segments to afford a variable circular exhaust-opening, the rock-shafts 9 to which said segments 8 are secured, the gears 12 on said rock-shafts 9, and means for operating one of said rocks'hafts from a distant point, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aftix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS C. HARGRAVE. JOSEPH ROTHWELL.

Witnesses:

ANNE S. READ, F. D. MERCHANT. 

